Helliot

the following is a dr. seuss style diatribe about my workplace -illustrations will not be posted but i do hope to make a small book for those who know and understand the trials and tribulations of working backstage on a long running big show.

HELLIOT

HERE UPON BROADWAY, AN IMPERIAL THEATER!

A MAGICAL PLACE -BUT YOU WOULDN’T WANNA BE HERE.

THE SHOW HERE IS BILLY, IT BREAKS FOLKS IN TWO.

DESTROYING SMALL CHILDREN AND GROWN UPS TOO!

FOUR BOYS NAMED BILLY AND SEVERAL IN CAMP,

TRAINING FOR BALLET, GYMNASTICS AND TAP!

THEY RUN THEM TO RIPLEY 9 HOURS A DAY,

WHEN THEY AREN’T PERFORMING OR STUDYING AWAY!

THE GROWN UPS HAVE SHIN SPLINTS AND FRACTURES AND CASTS,

BUT THEY COME TO WORK AND CONTINUE TO DANCE!

THEYRE CALLED TO REHEARSE FOUR HOURS A DAY,

ON TEUSDAY AND THURSDAY AND FRIDAY, HOORAY!

THE PROPS THEY ARE AWKWARD, CUMBERSOME, LARGE!

THE SET COULDN’T FIT ON THE WHOLE OF A BARGE!

THE STAIRWAYS ARE NARROW, CEMENTED AND CRAMPED!

THERES NOWHERE TO SIT AND THERES NOWHERE TO STAND!

THE BASKETS ARE HEAVY! THE DRESSERS DO SAY

AS THEY LIFT UP ANOTHER TO CARRY AWAY.

THE SHOW IS THREE HOURS- OOOPS NO OVERTIME,

SO REALLY ITS ONLY JUST TWO FIFTY NINE.

THE LINE UP, IT CHANGES EACH EVENING BY HALF

SO SCAMBLE AND RESET, GO ON! YOU’RE A CHAMP!

THE NEW KIDS GO ON WITH NO TIME TO SPARE.

GOOD LUCK, YOU’RE A TALL BOY! GO ON GET OUT THERE!

WHAT? NO PUT IN? DON’T WORRY AT ALL!

JUST GO OUT AND GET EM, AND HOPE YOU DON’T FALL.

BALLET GIRLS ARE DROPPING. SWINE FLU THEY SAY.

THAT’S WHY THERES PURELL IN EVERY DOORWAY.

FOUR MR BRAITHWAITES DON’T STAND A CHANCE,

FLIPPING LARGE CHILDREN'S A BAD CIRCUMSTANCE.

MAKE THEM STOP GROWING! WE JUST CANT KEEP UP!

THEIR VOICES ARE CHANGING, ITS VERY ABRUPT!

THE SHOES ARE OUTGROWN IN A MINUTE OR TWO.

CANT WE JUST BIND LIKE THE CHINESE USED TO DO?

BRING ON AUSTRALIANS! PRODUCERS DO SAY,

THEY ALREADY KNOW IT! THERES SHOES ON THE WAY!

YOU CAN GIVE NOTICE AND LEAVE IF YOU WILL,

BUT YOULL NEVER BE DONE WITH YOUR MEDICAL BILL.

YOUR ALREADY COSTUMED, SO THEY’LL TAKE YOU BACK

WHEN SOMEONE HAS FALLEN IS BROKEN OR JACKED!

DON’T WORRY, DEAR READERS, IT ISN’T ALL BAD.

WHEN BILLY GETS OLDER, HE COMES BACK AS DAD!

400 BILLYS AND MANY YEARS LATER,

A NEW SHOW COMES INTO THIS RUN DOWN THEATER.

ALL SHOWS MUST OPEN AND ALL SHOWS MUST CLOSE,

BUT THAT'S HOW THEY SAY THAT ALL BOADWAY GOES!

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

All the talk and rhetoric in this country, politically speaking is of freedom and Liberty and Justice, we are willing to send our troops the world over to fight for democracy to fight for freedom to insure Liberty of nations and yet we cant even insure Justice and Liberty for our own citizens.

Who doesn't see the correlation to interracial marriage phobia of the past? The same arguments and rhetoric the same fear of whats next?

How bout this, If you pay your taxes, you are a citizen you have the same rights as I do. I am not gay but i grew up in a liberal feminist household(yeah thats right). I was surrounded by gay men and Lesbians growing up. I never had a thought that there was anything different or wrong with that. I work in theater and my friends, my world is filled with straights, gays and lesbians. whats the difference? single, dating, married? who is out there telling people they don't deserve the same comforts the same rights that i have? what ignorance prevents you from realizing that 2 people who want to spend their life together is a beautiful thing. Where is the government to protect its people? Its tax paying citizens are being deemed aberrations, being prevented from their right to marry.where is that Liberty we claim so strongly to believe in! Where is the Justice? My neighbor doesnt have to like me but they damn well better respect that i have the same rights they do.

This is where so many people bring God into it, freedom of religion seems to be forgotten here too. God does not rule this country, i have the right to belong to any religious order from baptist to scientology I can be an atheist and still have the same rights as a fundamentalist- i dont agree with you but i respect your right to practice. The U.S. government must allow marriage. religion of any kind does not have to believe in same sex marriage, though i would hope through the basic principle of respecting life, that seems to cornerstone most basic religion, would find their way to reason, they do have to respect the legal right to

marriage as should be afforded by the government.

I think it is time for the federal government to say enough! Enough nonsense enough b.s. if you work here live here, pay taxes here, if you are a legal citizen of this country you are allowed the right to choose your partner in life. I honestly don't understand how there can even be a question of legality. Why is it right to deny anyone the rights and responsibilities that come through marriage? Denial of rights of tax paying citizens is the true aberration.